A Fall without a Nude (Dawson Brook, Nova Scotia)

Digital original

A good friend was wondering about trying his hand at photographing a river, so I offered to show him my favourite falls in Nova Scotia (where I have photographed models since 2000). It wasn't the same for me, working in the space without the Nude, but it did permit me some time to experiment with new perspectives and places to work from.

Digital original, 4 image exposure blend

Much like any time I work with landscape, I found the entire session a little frustrating; the fact I have made so many strong images here with models did little to dilute my frustration of finding compositions that work, and not having a figure to place into the scene.

Digital original

In the end, the session was an experience for a friend, and not for me...

Fort George (the Citadel) (Halifax, Nova Scotia).

Digital original, 9 image exposure blend

My first blog entry, from May, 19, 1997, was focused on image of York Redoubt, and dates from 11 years after I received my first camera; this entry is being made 20 years later, and I still love photographing the military structures that define Halifax. My tools have changed (from film to digital), but my passion has not diluted.

Digital original, 9 image exposure blend

An interesting fact, when looking at these images, and reflecting on where I started with my architectural images, is that they were made with the exact same aesthetic as my early film images (dramatic spacious image of spaces filled with light) - and yet they never could have been made in the age of film. Relying upon exposure blending (also called HDR), these colour photograph have a range of tones could never have been recorded on film!

Photo 101 Field Trip (Herring Cove)

Digital original

This field trip was focused on landscape photograph, with a secondary theme of working with neutral density filters. Early in the field trip I made a demo image of a 30 second exposure of water breaking over some rocks.

Digital original

As the field trip proceeded, we moved higher up on the rocky landscape, and made some images of the high-rock pools that line the path.

Digital original

My last image of the field trip was an infrared photograph, created using a 1000x ND filter to smooth out the water and blur the clouds some.

Áilleacht Nádúrtha Exhibition Installation (ViewPoint Gallery, Halifax, Nova Scotia)

The front wall of ViewPoint Gallery

The installation of Áilleacht Nádúrtha represents my most recent implementation of my frame-less exhibition approach; each image was mounted on expanded PVC, and then floated 1/2" off the gallery wall.

The left side and back wall

With 24 prints in sizes ranging from 16"x24" to 24"x54", the frame-less method permitted me to show more larger prints than would have been possible if they had been traditionally framed.

The back wall and right wall

Another advantage of this display method is that there was nothing between the viewer and the images - no glass, no mat!

The reverse view of the gallery, with the left wall and front wall.

Spring Continues...

Digital original

Digital original

Digital original

Spring in the Public Gardens (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Digital original

I have always loved shallow depth of field - in portraits, in Nudes, and in landscapes...but it is not all that common to make an image that really works will with a larger subject...in this case, the spring buds on the tree were just the thing to focus on!

Digital original

Easily the most traditional shallow depth of field subject would be macro images - in this case, spring flowers covered in rain-drops, set against a soft, diffused background. A large aperture, combined with a long (150mm) lens makes this kind of image quite easy to realize!

Digital original

The last image continues to embrace the shallow depth of field motif - this time focusing on a magnolia blossom set against the large pond at the Public Gardens.

Photo 101 Field Trip (Frog Pong)

Digital original

Digital original

Digital original

A Pregnancy Session with Lavender (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

Digital original

I first worked with Lavender in 2007, and we have worked together numerous times since then, so when she let me know she was pregnant, and expecting in the spring, I enthusiastically offered to document the pregnancy as she wished. While this ended up being a single session, it was still great to have the chance to continue working with her, and help to document such a magical time in her life.

Digital original

We worked in what would shortly become her child's nursery, taking advantage of the room's newly painted walls, and lovely natural light. After an opening series of images of Lavender posing on the bed, I moved it out of the way, and worked with the window light and large empty wall beside it. I really loved how the window cast a soft shadow on the wall, and focused the composition around this.

Digital original

The last set of images I made were focused on Lavender's belly, and her hands. This has always been something I have enjoyed photographing, and in this setting, with such wonderful side light, it worked out perfect.

Photo 101 Field Trip (Downtown Halifax)

Digital original

The primary focus of this field trip was working with urban scenes and architecture, and as such, I spent the entire session working with my ultra-wide lens, photographing the buildings in downtown Halifax. I particularly like this first image, with the monument to fallen peace officers being dwarfed by the bank buildings across the street.

Digital original, 2 image stitch

I am not a fan of most modern/new architecture - and the new Halifax Convention Centre is no exception to this; I have watched it being built over the past two years, and have no affection or appreciation for its form. That being said, with the right sky, and some dramatic shifting on my 17mm TS-E lens, I was able to make an image which at least makes the most of what I am not impressed it...the title of this image is "Stabbing the Sky".

Digital original

The final image here is one of my more successful images of the new Halifax City Library; I have made many images of the entire structure, but on this afternoon, I caught a glimpse across Spring Garden road of the building behind a tree, and was drawn to the graphic quality of the sight.

A Photo 101 Field Trip (Point Pleasant Park, Halifax)

Digital original

I feel that photography is all about balance, and worked hard with the above composition of the container pier to get the balance right - a large, empty sky balancing a small point on interest in the foreground, with two people walking on the shore.

Digital original

At the very end of the field trip, as I was walking back to the car, I noticed some rust, and made a final composition.